SRD Winter Camporee 2008

I need your help; I need your ideas; I need whatever you can spare!

You will note the word “I” a lot in the following notes. That’s because I don’t have a committee. Any unit planning to attend should be thinking about what they would like to be doing at this event and seeing how they could help. It is with your help and ideas that this will happen. Please, think about your “whole” participation in Camporee and do your best to make this a true District Camporee.

I am currently following this idea for the Camporee. It’s the year of the Olympics and the Biathlon comes to mind as an interesting scout type challenge. The participants are challenged to cover a course on skis and at various points they have to shoot a variety of targets. Somewhat akin to a hunting trip.

With this concept in mind I thought of using the layout of Tappan Springs to our advantage and create a course with 5 events. This may sound like the Camporee of 2 years ago, but there is a difference in the plan. First, it will be along an established road so the events should be easy to find. I also don’t plan on timing the trek, just have the events scored.

There is a rifle range in that area, so I will be asking if we can use it and seeing if I can get our Rifle Range people to bring up a few rifles to add this event to the mix. Below I have some ideas. Conceptually, I would like to present challenges to the scouts that they might encounter on a hunting or exploring trip. Scout skills are emphasized. Every scout will have to participate in some fashion in each event. Some events might be an individual challenge while other will challenge the patrol as a whole.

The idea is to have the patrols stop and spend approximately 15 minutes at each event then spend about 10 minutes traversing to the next event. We will likely space out the patrols and perhaps send them out in two directions so the numbers of patrols at each event are low and manageable. We should be able to get the whole thing done by lunch time and have awards after lunch, then release the units to whatever and wherever they want. There are a lot of other fun things to do in the area and with luck there will be snow.

Event Ideas List

Safely Ford the River / Fast current, 10 ft deep. Must use a rope. Tie a person to the rope and he goes across. Points for anchoring the rope and correct knots. Person gets to other side. Use rope to get other things across.
Turkey Hunt (Field Archery) / Shoot from 3 pre-determined spots at the Turkey. Points hitting from farthest point, hitting the turkey at all , and kill shots.
Buffalo Hunt (Rifle) / Each scout gets 3 shots at a target, perhaps a flip type target.
Emergency Rescue / First Aid Triage with a carry requirement and a planning challenge to see how they carry out the best possible rescue.

None of this is set in stone, but I know that all of you want to know what is planned so you can prepare. So please, give this some thought and give me a call or email with your thoughts and ideas. Keep it simple and make it fun.

I know we have a lot of talent in every one of our units. This event is a real easy way to participate in the District and have fun at the same time. You are going to be there anyway. Come on out and share your talents and leaderships to the rest of our units in the District.

Roy Hollis, (602) 989-4605;